Daily Devotion - Dismiss the Doubters

“(Jesus) went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha koum!’ (which means ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around…” — Mark 5:39–42 NIV

Great things are accomplished by faith. Sometimes, however, we must dismiss the doubters.

Jesus was approached with the news, first that the synagogue ruler Jairus’ young daughter was sick. Then that she had died. It had all come about so quickly, and Jesus, it would seem, was simply too slow to respond.

“…‘Why bother the teacher anymore?’ ” (Mark 5:35, NIV) the family and friends of Jairus asked.

But, Jesus told Jairus, “ ‘…Just believe’ ” (Mark 5:36, NIV).

When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, a crowd had already gathered there. These mourners were inconsolable and grief-stricken. Then, when Jesus told them that the little girl was only sleeping, their cries of grief turned into rumbles of laughter. “What a foolish thing for Jesus to say!” they thought.

As Jesus entered the room of Jairus’ daughter, only the girl’s parents and Jesus’ disciples were invited. The others – the doubters and disbelievers, those who had mocked Jesus and laughed at his words – had already been put out of the house. Their doubt would not be allowed to interfere with the miracle that was about to take place. Soon, the little girl would be healed.

There are several lessons to be learned from this story, but here’s one angle. At times, we too, must dismiss the doubters. Otherwise, their second-guessing, their cynicism, and their skepticism will not allow us the room to do what is needed. Our ambition and our dreams will be undermined by the nay-sayers if we allow them to stick around.

So, just who are the doubters in your life? Who are the whiners, the wailers, and the laughers that you need to put aside? I’m not saying that you need to make a complete break from them, although sometimes that can be the case. But maybe they do need to be put out of ear-shot. Don’t let the doubters deter your dreams. And don’t let the foolish sway your faith. Just believe!

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